Sarmiento scores first round win in PXC-35

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Am striker Harris Sarmiento went ground and pound and disposed of Isaiah Ordiz in a first round submission via rear-naked choke to retain his lightweight title in the Pacific X-Treme Combat 35 at the Ynares Arena in Pasig Saturday night.

Noted for his excellent, relentless striking skills, the Guam-based Ilocos Norte native employed a new game plan to surprise his younger, inexperienced rival and post the one-sided victory.

“You know what –  a fight is a fight. There was a game plan, and this one was my real game plan,” said Sarmiento, who improved to 35-24 (win-loss) while sending Ordiz to his first PXC loss after starting out his mixed martial arts career with back-to-back wins.

After his quick win, Sarmiento challenged his most recent tormentor, Fil-Am Mark Streigl, who also defeated  him with a surprisingly quick first round win via submission.

“Where are you Mark? Who wants to see it for the second time?” said Sarmiento.

In the co-main bout of the evening, 808 Top Team’s Louis Smolka of Hawaii survived a bloody beating from US-based Filipino Alvin Cacdac of Nor Cal Fighting Alliance in the first round as he came through with a rear-naked choke in the third and final round, forcing the latter to tap out.

“I’m used to getting beaten at in training so it’s really nothing new to me,” said Smolka, who improved to 3-0 while Cacdac slipped to 11-10.

“I also have to give it to my opponent (Cacdac), who beat me bloody in the first round,” he added.

The dramatic, come-from-behind win assured Smolka of a crack at the flyweight crown currently held by Davao pride Ale Cali.

The champ, however, was unfazed.

“Bring it on,” said Cali, adding he’s now currently working on his ground and pound skills and the Brazlian jiu-jitsu.

Japanese Chuji Kato of Reversal Gym Yokohama provided one of the best fights of the night after he methodically manhandled Australian Egons Racz with a first round rear-naked choke.

Team Lakay continued to make good impression as Troy Bantiag fashioned out an RSC (referee-stopped contest) win via continuous striking to win over Spike 22’s Tony Reyes of Guam. Dario Banario beat Joseph Mercado via unanimous decision, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28.

Other PXC 35 winners were Boracay Legacy MMA’s Zebastian Kadestam, who defeated former UFC fighter Ron Jhun via a first round stoppage, Fight Works MMA’s Ernesto Montilla Jr., who downed Full Contact Phl’s Ruel Catalan, and Team Insider’s Glen Ranillo, who trounced Beefit Phyton’s Pit’s Mark Billena.

Submission Sports’ Miguel Mosquera edged Team Gan Soo Do’s Steve Grandeza with a second round, rear-naked choke win in a match marred by latter’s illegal head kick that cost him a one-point deduction.